


Ranov'la

by onepageatatime715



Series: Ahsoka & The 501st Legion [5]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003) - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Ahsoka Tano Needs a Hug, Ahsoka Tano-centric, Angst, CC-1010 | Fox Needs A Hug, Clones, Comfort, Coruscant (Star Wars), Fluff, Mando'a, Other, Post-Episode: s05e20 The Wrong Jedi, Protective clones
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:55:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26152261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onepageatatime715/pseuds/onepageatatime715
Summary: Ahsoka was tired. Ahsoka palmed the few credit chips she had left – gifts from her vod’e. She had used almost all of them at this point – mostly on food and lodgings. The meager credit chips in her hand wouldn’t be enough to secure her lodgings for the evening – and she wasn’t quite ready to sleep on the street yet. Which is how she found herself before a nondescript closed door. Before she could talk herself out of it, she raised her hand and rapped her knuckles against the door.
Relationships: 212th Battalion & Ahsoka Tano, 501st Legion & Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, CC-1010 | Fox & Ahsoka Tano, CT-7567 | Rex & Ahsoka Tano
Series: Ahsoka & The 501st Legion [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1880239
Comments: 29
Kudos: 237





	Ranov'la

**Author's Note:**

> Ranov'la - Secret
> 
> Because Fox doesn't deserve the bad reputation he earned by hunting down Ahsoka and gunning down Fives. He loves his vod'e, and his vod'ika, and he only ever acted out of loyalty to his vod'e and the Republic. 
> 
> Takes place a few weeks after the events of Chapter 15 of Burc'ya vaal burk'yc, burc'ya veman (Ret'urcye mhi) and after the events of the The Fugitive Arc (S05E17 - S05E20). Can be read independently or after reading Burc'ya vaal burk'yc, burc'ya veman.

_Rex was waiting, leaning casually against the wall beside the main entry to the 501 st’s barracks on Coruscant, when Ahsoka appeared. She looked awful – haggard, tired, face lined with tear tracks, her arms wrapped around her as if she could keep herself from falling apart. No new tears – he suspected that she had cried herself dry on her walk here, judging by the heartbreak still written in every line of her body._

_Rex didn’t hesitate to pull her into his arms, crushing her in the warmth of his embrace. She didn’t hug him back – merely leaned into the embrace. Rex held her against his body, holding her together until she could do it herself._

_It could have been minutes – could have been hours – but eventually Ahsoka pulled away. Not enough to leave his arms, but enough to look up at her ori’vod. She didn’t have to voice the question that Rex saw in her eyes._

_“Anakin commed me,” Rex explained. “He seemed to think that you may come here, after…”_

_Rex trailed off, unsure how to broach the topic of what Anakin had shared with him. Afraid that his words would be true. Afraid that they wouldn’t be. His vod’ika deserved better that the Jedi Order had ever given her, but he couldn’t fathom the day when she wasn’t a part of their lives. A part of his life._

_“I left the Jedi Order,” Ahsoka said softly. “The Council didn’t trust me, so how can I trust them? How can I put my faith in people who have no faith in me?”_

_Rex smiled sadly at his vod’ika, his heart hurting for her._

_“You know my thoughts on the Jedi Council, vod’ika,” Rex said softly. They had spoken of it, on quiet nights and duty shifts. More often, since the Rako Hardeen incident. Of tradition, and rules. Of choices, and mistakes._

_“Barriss was wrong about a lot of things. She shouldn't have killed anyone, and she definitely shouldn't have framed me for it, but –” Ahsoka trailed off, her voice tired._

_Rex wondered how long it had been since she had slept._

_“She had a point about the Republic and the Jedi. The Jedi Order – there is something wrong with them. This war – no one is considering its wider effects, no one is listening when they ought to,” Ahsoka continued. “The Jedi were never meant to be soldiers. We – they have lost their way, and I fear the consequences.”_

_“I’m not going to tell you that you’re making a mistake,” Rex replied evenly. “Or try to convince you to stay. I know that you have to sort this out on your own, and I’ll always respect that. So will the vod’e.”_

_“Do they know?” Ahsoka asked._

_Rex nodded._

~~~

Ahsoka was tired.

Tired of bartering for a lower price on meals. Tired of eating ration bars when she couldn’t find a decently priced diner. Tired of worrying about where she would sleep at night. Tired of walking everywhere on foot, because public taxis were too much of a strain on her already limited finances, and she definitely couldn’t afford a hovercar (or hoverbike) of her own.

She was just plain tired.

Ahsoka palmed the few credit chips she had left – gifts from her _vod’e_. She had used almost all of them at this point – mostly on food and lodgings (though she had also had to part with a significant portion for new shoes, after she wore out her first pair).

She had no purpose.

As a Jedi, she had always had a purpose. As a youngling, she had been committed to her learning, dedicated to becoming a competent Padawan learner. As a Padawan, she had spent her time training – at the Temple, with Anakin, with Obi-wan, and with the _vod’e_ – so that she could be the Commander that the 501st deserved.

Now, she had nothing.

No purpose.

No goal.

No direction.

And no money.

Well, she had money, though the meager credit chips in her hand wouldn’t be enough to secure her lodgings for the evening – and she wasn’t quite ready to sleep on the street yet.

Yet.

She couldn’t go back to the 501st barracks – even if her _vod’e_ were still planet-side, which she doubted, returning to them would be like admitting defeat. Plus, Rex would likely tell Anakin that she had returned, and that would get his hopes up – or make him do something stupid. Similarly, she couldn’t go to the 212th barracks – Cody (or another _vod’e_ from Ghost Company) would undoubtedly tell Rex or Obi-wan that the had returned. Or both. She briefly considered going to Padmé, but quickly pushed the thought from her mind. Padmé cared too much for Anakin to not tell him that his errant Padawan had returned.

No, showing up on the doorstep of any of her friends or family was sure to result in conversations and heartbreak that she wasn’t ready for.

Which is how she found herself before a non-descript closed door.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she raised her hand and rapped her knuckles against the door.

~~~

While thousands of clone troopers served on the front lines under the leadership of the Jedi Order, CC-1010, more commonly known as Fox, was stationed on Coruscant where he served as Commander of the Coruscant Guard. Under Fox's command, the Guard served as peacekeepers on the Republic capital and were also responsible for the safety of the Galactic Senate as well as Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine.

Which was why Fox was sitting, alone, in his office late into the night, reviewing various forms and forging the Supreme Chancellor’s signature.

A small knock on his door grabbed his attention. It was too late for it to be any of his _vod’e_ – he had sent Thire, Stone, and Thorn back to the barracks hours ago, and everyone else was either likely asleep in said barracks, enjoying themselves 79’s, or on duty somewhere in Corsucant.

He moved to open the door, groaning slightly at the tension in his muscles. Shaking himself out, he hit the button to open the door, which whooshed open without hesitation.

The same could not be said for Fox, who stood gaping at the small togruta before him.

She hesitated, clearly equally unsure.

“I – I should go,” Ahsoka said at last, turning to leave.

“No,” Fox blurted out. “I mean, wait – sir. I – what are you… I mean, what can I do for you?”

Ahsoka paused, uncertainty written all over her face.

“I –” Ahsoka began, then paused. “I don’t have anywhere else to go.”

Like all of his _vod’e_ , Fox was also a fearless soldier. He led the elite Coruscant Guard into combat. He was always the first to charge into battle.

And yet, in this moment, Commander Fox had no idea what to say.

Thankfully, his body seemed to know what to do, shifting lightly to indicate that Ahsoka should enter his office. After a slight hesitation, the former _jetii_ did so, pausing once she was safely inside the space.

Fox closed the door behind them, moving to lean against his desk. He crossed his arms as he regarded to togruta, still tongue-tied.

But while Fox may had been a fearless soldier and an elite combatant, he also possessed a strong sense of duty and honor which compelled him to loyally serve and protect – a sense that extended to Rex’s _vod’ika_. They had never quite decided what that made Ahsoka to the rest of them, but he knew that he couldn’t abandon her now.

_“The suspect has killed three clones,” Fox’s voice rang out of the com on Rex’s wrist. “Shoot to kill.”_

Not after the choices he had made.

_She's killed troopers,” Fox argued, refusing to delay the order to kill. “She’s armed and dangerous!”_

“Can I call Rex for you?” Fox asked, his voice surprisingly gentle. “Or General Skywalker?”

“No!” Ahsoka yelped. “I mean – no. Please, I came here because –”

“Because you knew I wouldn’t immediately call your _vod’e_ or _jetii_ ,” Fox guessed, deadpan.

Because they hated him.

For ordering his clones to shoot to kill.

For accusing her of killing his men.

For thinking her guilty.

“Yes,” Ahsoka admitted. “But more than that, you’re _vod’e_ , and I knew that I could trust you.”

The former _jetii_ paused.

“Right?”

Fox stepped forward, engulfing Ahsoka in a hug. She melted into it, clinging to the familiar form against her desperately. In that moment, Fox understood why Rex had adopted this particular _jetii_ – and why his other _vod’e_ (namely Cody and Wolffe) were so taken with her.

“You can sleep here tonight,” Fox decided. “I have a bunk here for long nights, and a decent stash of rations.”

Ahsoka pulled back slightly, looking up at Fox.

“Thank-you,” she said simply.

Fox smiled down at Rex’s _vod’ika_ , an uncommon kindness in his features.

Rex had adopted this _jetii_ , against all reason – and Fox’s logical advice. He had said the words - _Ni kyr'tayl gai sa'ad_. Adoption via the _gai bal manda_ and a dedication to the _Resol'nare_ , the six basic tenets of Mandalorian culture, was often considered all it took to make one a Mandalorian. Ahsoka was theirs – she was in need.

Fox would never fail his _vod’e_ again.

Never again.

He le Ahsoka to the hidden bunk tucked in the wall – a special commission that Cody has approved months ago, no questions asked – and helped her set it up without a word, showing her how to pop it out of the wall and where the sheets and blankets were without uttering a word.

Ahsoka crawled under the sheets without another word.

But Fox didn’t notice how her body trembled, how she pulled the blankets tight around her body.

He knelt down beside the bunk, drawing Ahsoka’s gaze to his own.

“Are you sure that you don’t want me to call Rex?”

“Are they planet-side?” Ahsoka asked meekly, her big blue eyes conflicted.

Fox nodded. “For now – He, General Skywalker, and the rest of the 501st ship out tomorrow for Ringo Vinda, with the support of Jedi Masters Tiplar and Tiplee.”

Ahsoka recognized Tiplar and Tiplee’s names – the Mikkian sisters were uncommon enough among the Jedi to be well-known, and powerful enough in the Force to be memorable.

Finally, Ahsoka shook her head.

“No,” she said clearly. “He can’t know – I mean, he can’t know that I need help. It would drive all of them mad, if they knew.”

Fox nodded. He understood – it was the same reason he had closed himself off from his _vod’e_. The same reason he held himself apart from the rest of the Coruscant Guard.

“Okay, _vod’ika_ ,” Fox replied softly. “Your secret is safe with me.”

He pulled away, returning to his desk to work on whatever form had held his attention before the unexpected arrival of Anakin Skywalker’s former Padawan. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as she drifted off, curled tightly in the blankets of his bunk.

~~~

Ahsoka woke early the next morning, only to find Fox’s office completely empty. The Commander was nowhere in sight – or nearby, given the fact that Ahsoka couldn’t sense him in the Force. Hopefully, he had returned to the barracks to sleep – though knowing Cody, his fellow Commander was likely out on duty, or otherwise avoiding sleep.

Regardless, Ahsoka resolved to leave before Fox returned.

She pushed herself up into a sitting position, pulling her satchel from beneath the bed. It was significantly emptier than it had been when she had left the 501st weeks earlier, but the armour that her _vod’e_ had created for her was still safely tucked into the bottom. She reached inside briefly to run her fingers over the fabric of the blue-and-grey battle dress, taking comfort in the sensation.

As she did so, her wrist bumped against an unfamiliar sensation.

Frowning slightly, Ahsoka pulled out the small leather purse. Inside, she found a significant amount of credits, and a short note.

_Ahsoka,_

_Use these as needed. There should be more than enough here to get you through a few weeks, plus some extra to get yourself a hoverbike._

_Fox_

Ahsoka read the note twice, then flipped it over the see the address and com frequency of a junkyard on the lower levels.

She smiled slightly to herself.

It seemed like all the clones were the same – insufferably protective, but caring and kind. 

_Ori’vod’e._

**Author's Note:**

> Mando'a Translations: 
> 
> Jetii - Jedi (Plural: Jetiise)   
> Ni kyr'tayl gai sa'ad - Mandalorian Adoption Vow   
> Ori'vod - Older Brother/Sister  
> Resol'nare - The Tenets of Mando Life  
> Vod - Brother/Sister (Plural: Vod'e)   
> Vod'ika - Little Brother/Sister


End file.
